Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies, Bridge to Teaching
Overview
A degree program that meets your educational goals
Within the Liberal Studies bachelor’s degree you can elect to follow a specialized Bridge to Teaching track.
Bridge to Teaching is designed for teacher assistants and instructional paraprofessionals who are currently in practice, have earned an associate degree (or its equivalent), and wish to enter the teaching force. Graduates of the program receive a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies and the preparation for initial licensure, according to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education state guidelines.
Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant Program
The MA Department of Higher Education, Office of Financial Assistance provides financial assistance to currently employed paraprofessionals in Massachusetts public schools who wish to become certified as full-time teachers. To learn more about this grant program and eligibility requirements, please visit the
MA Higher Education Office website
.
Core Curriculum
College of Professional Studies degrees* integrate a core set of course requirements that ensure all of our graduates possess a well-rounded educational background and understanding of the world. The core courses allow students to gain insights into disciplines other than their field of study, as well as develop expertise in written and oral communication and critical thinking.
Written Communication (9 q.h.)
Complete the following three courses:
| ENG 1004 | College English 1 | 3 q.h. |
| ENG 1005 | College English 2 | 3 q.h. |
| ENG 3006 | College English Workshop | 3 q.h. |
Diversity (3 q.h.)
Complete one of the following courses:
| CMN 2002 | Intercultural Communication | 3 q.h. |
| MGT 1503 | Managing in a Diverse and Changing World* | 3 q.h. |
| POL 2230 | Civil Liberties | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 1110 | Diversity | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 1635 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 q.h. |
| SOC 2440 | Gender and Work Roles in Society | 3 q.h. |
Information Literacy (3 q.h.)
| ITC | Information Technology Elective | 3 q.h. |
|
Suggested courses: |
|
|
| ITC 1001 | Intro to PC Productivity Tools | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1002 | Technology and Information Fluency | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1120 | Website Design | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1235 | Internet Essentials | 3 q.h. |
| ITC 1255 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 q.h. |
Mathematics (6 q.h.)
Complete a minimum of six quarter hours from the following courses:
| MTH 1001 | College Algebra 1 | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 2002 | College Algebra 2 | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 2512 | Finite Mathematics | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 2101 | Precalculus | 3 q.h. |
| MTH 3005 | Calculus 1 | 4 q.h. |
| MTH 3010 | Calculus 2 | 4 q.h. |
| MTH 3015 | Calculus 3 | 4 q.h. |
| ECN 2001 | Statistics 1 | 3 q.h. |
| ECN 2002 | Statistics 2 | 3 q.h. |
Ethical & Political Perspectives (3 q.h.)
Complete one of the following courses:
| LDR 3230 | Ethical Decision Making | 3 q.h. |
| PHL 1001 | Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics | 3 q.h. |
| PHL 2160 | Bioethics | 3 q.h. |
| PHL 2180 | Business Ethics | 3 q.h. |
Science Perspectives (3 q.h.)
|
Choose one course with any one of the following prefixes: BIO, BTC, CHM, ESC, PHY |
|
|
|
Suggested courses: |
|
|
| BIO 1010 | Biology 1 | 3 q.h. |
| BIO 1825 | Biology Today: An issues Approach | 3 q.h. |
| CHM 1011 | Chemical Principles 1 | 3 q.h. |
| CHM 2105 | Chemistry and the Environment | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1525 | Energy for Today and Tomorrow | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1121 | Introduction to Meteorology and Weather Forecasting | 3 q.h. |
| ESC 1123 | Observational Astronomy | 3 q.h. |
| PHY 2301 | Physics 1 | 3 q.h. |
Historical Perspectives (3 q.h.)
| HST | History Elective | 3 q.h. |
|
Suggested courses: |
|
|
| HST 1001 | Civilization of the Ancient & Medieval Worlds | 3 q.h. |
| HST 1002 | Civilization of the Early Modern World | 3 q.h. |
| HST 1003 | Civilization of the Modern World | 3 q.h. |
| HST 3213 | Contemporary America | 3 q.h. |
| HST 2205 | Coming to America: The American Immigrant Experience |
3 q.h. |
Total Core Curriculum: 30 q.h.
*Lowell Institute School degree requirements vary.
See curriculum pages for more information.
Curriculum
Core Curriculum (30 q.h.)
We require all bachelor's degree students to complete required core curriculum, allowing you to gain insight into disciplines other than your field of study.
Major Courses (54 q.h.)
Complete all of the following courses:
| EDU 1101 | Introduction to Education* | 3 q.h. |
| EDU 4818 | Supervised Teaching Practicum and Seminar | 3 q.h. |
Complete all of the following courses:
| HST 1001 | The Civilization of the Ancient & Medieval World | 3 q.h. |
| HST 1002 | The Civilization of the Early Modern World | 3 q.h. |
| HST 1003 | The Civilization of the Modern World | 3 q.h. |
Complete twenty-one credits of Humanities electives from the following prefixes:
| ART, ASL, CMN, ENG, JRN, MUS, PHL, TCC, THE, or a modern foreign language | 21 q.h. | |
Complete nine credits of Math-Science electives from the following prefixes:
| BIO, BTC, CHM, ESC, MTH, PHY | 9 q.h. | |
Complete fifteen credits of Social Science electives from the following prefixes:
| ANT, CJS, ECN, HST, POL, PSY, SOC | 15 q.h. | |
Non-Business Electives (48 q.h.)**
Bridge to Teaching Electives (25 q.h.)
Select either the Elementary or Secondary Specialization.
Elementary Education Specialization Courses (25 q.h.)
Complete all of the following courses:
| EDU 2004 | Learning and Accomplished Practice | 4 q.h. |
| EDU 3300 | Race and Urban Education | 3 q.h. |
| EDU 3405 |
Inquiry in the Humanities and Social Sciences |
4 q.h. |
| EDU 3400 |
Inquiry in Mathematics and Science |
4 q.h. |
| EDU 3414 |
Literacy Development and Instruction |
4 q.h. |
| EDU 1031 |
Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity |
3 q.h. |
| Open Elective | 3 q.h. |
Secondary Education Specialization Courses (25 q.h.)***
Complete all of the following courses:
| EDU 2004 | Learning and Accomplished Practice | 4 q.h. |
| EDU 3413 |
Curriculum Design and Assessment |
3 q.h. |
| EDU 3416 |
Language, Culture, and Literature in Middle School and High School |
4 q.h. |
| EDU |
Teaching in the Disciplines |
4 q.h. |
| EDU 3300 |
Race and Urban Education |
4 q.h. |
| EDU 1031 |
Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity |
3 q.h. |
| Open Elective | 3 q.h. |
Total Quarter Hours: 160
Bachelor of Arts Requirements: Students wishing to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree rather than a Bachelor of Science degree will need to complete 12 quarter hours of an elementary modern language plus 12 quarter hours of an intermediate modern language.
* "Introduction to Education" can be utilized to fulfill the "Introduction to Liberal Studies" Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies major course requirement. Note: A program of specialization is identified after the completion of "Introduction to Liberal Studies."
** "Supervised Teaching Practicum and Seminar" can be utilized to fulfill the "Senior Project in Liberal Studies" Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies major course requirement.
*** Students who select the Secondary Education Specialization must select up to 21 q.h. (out of the 48 q.h. required non-business electives) within one of the following disciplines (in addition to the specialization course requirements): Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Mathematics, and Political Science.
Admissions Requirements
Below are the official Admissions Requirements for this program.
- Online application
- Statement of purpose (500-1000 words): identifying your educational goals and expectations from the program; please be aware that the University's academic policy on plagiarism applies to applicant's statement of purpose
- Professional resume: current resume that displays job responsibilities, relevant experience, and education history
- Two Letters of recommendation: from an educator (principal or teacher preferred) with academic or professional knowledge of your capabilities
- Academic Transcripts submit one of the following
- Official high school degree
- Official GED
- Official associate degree showing degree conferral and date, and shows 80 Quarter Hours equivalent
- Transfer credit documentation: should be submitted with your application material
- Academic transcripts from each institution you previously attended:
- Official U.S. transcripts: if you applied previously earned credit toward your earned associate degree, you must request transcripts from each institution you attended.
- Official foreign transcripts: must include English translation. We encourage you to submit a course-by-course evaluation of your diploma(s) and transcript(s)
- College-level examinations: official examination score(s)
- Military evaluation
- Academic transcripts from each institution you previously attended:
- Interview: applicants may be requested to participate in an interview as part of the admissions process, if this is determined we will reach out to you directly
- Proof of English language proficiency: ONLY for students for whom English is not their primary language: English language proficiency guidelines
For general admissions information and recommended admissions deadlines, Undergraduate Admissions.
All requirements must be received prior to review.
Tuition
Estimated total tuition for this program is $52,000.00.
Tuition for individual courses is based on the number of quarter hours. Most courses are 3-6 quarter hours. See Undergraduate Tuition Rates for details.
Use our Tuition Calculator below to see if transfer credit or tuition reimbursement from your employer could reduce your total tuition.
Tuition Calculator
Please note: The estimated total tuition is based on tuition rates for Academic Year 2011-12 and does not include any fees or other expenses. Some courses and labs have tuition rates that may increase or decrease total tuition. Tuition and fees are subject to revision by the president and Board of Trustees at any time.
Student Profile
Who Will Your Classmates Be?
This program is right for you, if you are paraprofessional or teacher assistant and have:
- At least one year working experience as a paraprofessional or teacher aid
- A liberal or general studies A.D (or its equivalent), 60 semester hours, or 80 q.h. to transfer into the program
- At least one year of paraprofessional or teaching assistant experience
- A minimum 2.5 GPA
Following the academic core, you may elect a specialization in elementary education or secondary education, both of which prepare you with the depth of knowledge sufficient to pass the Massachusetts Test for Educator License.
Career Outlook
Put Your Degree to Work
Careers to consider include:
- Top- or mid-level administrator
- Elementary school teacher
- Middle school teacher
- Service professional
Talk to an Enrollment Coach
We can walk you through your program options and the application process.
- Call Toll Free:
- 877.668.7727
- Email:
- Contact Us